Haas Automation has become an official sponsor of Scuderia Ferrari in a deal that will last until the end of the 2015 F1 season.

The company is owned by NASCAR team boss Gene Haas, who has recently obtained an entry into Formula 1 for the 2016 season for his new team Haas Formula. He was thought to be chasing a technical partnership with Ferrari for its entry to the sport, and the Italian marque’s team principal Marco Mattiacci confirmed in Austria that talks were ongoing.

However, this new sponsorship deal appears to confirm that the two companies will be working together upon Haas’ entry to Formula 1 in 2016.

“It has been announced today that Haas Automation is to sponsor Scuderia Ferrari until the end of the 2015 season,” a statement read. “The agreement comes into force immediately and, as from tomorrow’s free practice for the British Grand Prix, the F14 Ts driven by Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen will carry the company’s logo on the side pods.

“The partnership marks Haas Automation’s entry to the world of Formula 1, prior to it becoming title sponsor of Gene Haas’ team when it enters the sport in 2016.”

Mattiacci was pleased with the announcement, and is excited about heightened American involvement in F1.

“We are pleased to welcome Haas Automation as our latest Official Supplier” he said. “This agreement strengthens our existing links in the USA, an important market not only for our company, but also for Scuderia Ferrari, as it is one where the team already benefits from several important partnerships.”

Formula 1 has enjoyed a revival in the United States over the past few years. The return of the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin has been a great success, and a second race in New Jersey is planned. With an American team ready to join the sport and two American drivers vying for a seat, it is certainly a good time to be a fan of the sport in the US.

Haas sponsoring a Ferrari team means Ferrari power units in their F1 cars and as we all know,very few,if any teams that use others powerunits have gone on to win Championships much less be as competitive as the teams that are the number on users of the engines ala Ferrari.

This is Haas making a financial commitment so that Ferrari knows he’s sincere and not just jerking their chain on an engine deal. It will allow Haas to start their F1 marketing campaign and build bridges at Ferrari and with some of Ferrari’s F1 suppliers. Eventually Ferrari’s power unit will be competitive with Mercedes as will Renault’s. The FIA have an obligation to make sure this happens so that there is good competition in F1.

It’s still a long, long, uphill road from here to having a competitive F1 car of their own design on the grid in ’16. Haas has the money but how and where he spends it will determine their success.